Dry firing cartridge



J. F. JACK DRY FIRING CARTRIDGE Aug 6,1946.

Filed March 13, 1944 JICK INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 6, 1946 UNITED STATES T'ET QE'FEQE 8 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to firearms and'moreparticularly to cartridges for use in'practicing with firearms toimprove the aiming and shooting of them by persons such as policemen,sportsmen, and members of the armed forces. As is well known, it usuallyrequires much practice in, aiming a rifle or pistol and also in actuallypulling the-trigger of the same while the sights. are held on the targetto make one expert inthe use of firearms. To use actual or livecartridgesin practicing with such a firearm disturbsthe sight alignmentand prevents the shooter *from determining the cause of failure to hithis object.- When fired dry the shooter knows by the movement of thesighting plane whether or nothe pulled off, high, or iow or to eitherside.

As it is well known, it is always helpful inbecoming'proficient in theuse of firearms to cook the firearm, aim it at a target with nocartridge in the barrel or with the shell of a discharged or explodedcartridge in the barrel, and pull the trigger while the firearm issighted at the target. There are some objections to thisway ofpracticing or simulating the firing of pistols, etc., commonly calleddry firing. For one thing, the lack of the weight of live cartridges inthe firearm makes the user get somewhat accustomed to the feel, i. e.the lighter weight, of the firearm with the blank cartridges or emptyshells in it and when several heavier live cartridges are in the firearmit tends to make the quick and accurate shooting of the firearm lesscertain due to recoil. This may be a serious matter if it is a case of apolicemans pistol while he is dealing with desperate criminals, or inwarfare. are also other objections to the use of empty shells ornoshells at all in the firearm. The accurately made firingpinis-damaged' and often broken by being driven farther through the recoilplate than is usual, causing the shoulders of the firing pinor hammer tobe damaged by striking some unyielding metal parts of a revolver such asa recoil'shoulder.

It is an important object of my invention to provide a cartridge devicewith which dry firing can be practiced without causing any damage to thefirearm.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a cartridge forpracticing dry firing which has the. same weight as a live cartridge ofthe same caliber which is made up with the usual shell, powder charge,and lead or steel bullet.

Still another object is the provision of a cartridge for practicing dryfiring which provides a yielding resistance to the firing pinapproximately There I equivalent to that provided by the explosion ofthe primer of a live cartridge of the same caliber.

An additional object is to provide a cartridge suitable for practicingdry firing that is satisfactorily durable in service and economical tomanufacture.

A further object of my invention is to provide a cartridge of afixedcaliber for practicin dry firing which can-be used satisfactorily in twoor more firearms that fire diiferent caliber bullets.

Other objects and advantageous features of my invention will appear asthe description proceeds.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 .is'a side view, broken away in part, of a revolver shown witha dry firing cartridge that embodies my invention in firing position inthe revolver.

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the cartridgeshown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a so-calledrimless cartridge with a simulated bullet element shown in position inthe cartridge (side view).

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section through a simulated riflecartridge constructed according to my invention for practicing dryfiring.

Figure 5 is a partial longitudinal sectional view through a simulatedrifle cartridge constructed according to my invention, a bullet elementbeing shown in side view.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through an automaticpistol which illustrates another form offiring pin with which my dryfiring cartridge may be advantageously used.

For purposes of illustration, in Figure 1, one of my dry firingcartridges I0 is shown in a chamber :ll of a usual cylinderlZ of arevolver l3. In a handle it, a main spring I 5 may be mounted to swing ahammer l6 when a trigger H is pulled. All of "these parts may be ofusual construction as is found in a well known make of revolver It willbe understood as the description proceeds that my invention can becarried out with other makes of revolvers.

On the hammer 16, may be mounted a firing pin member 20 integral withthe hammer or'made separately and fastened to the hammer in a well knownway for replacement purposes.

The pin 25 may have a shoulder element 2 l and in firing a livecartridge in the revolver the pin is projected forcibly through a firingpin hole 22 ina recoil plate 23 which usually forms an integral part ofa frame member 25 in which the cylinder H is rotatably'mounted. Thepin25 usually 3 fills the hole 2| rather closely when the revolver is firedwith a live cartridge. When the revolver is snapped, i. e., the hammeris operated, and there is no cartridge in the chamber in firing positionthe pin 20 may be driven in so far that the hole 22 is spread slightlyor the shoulder 2| may strike the metal rim around the hole. Theseobjectionable results are cumulative and after repeated use of arevolver or rifle in this way the consequences may be serious andrequire some expensive repairs. Or they may cause a firearm to fail tofunction properly at a time when such a failure is a very seriousmatter, The above noted undesirable consequences will often result fromthe repeated use of exploded cartridge shells in a firearm since thefiring pin will soon punch a hole deep into or entirely through anexploded cap element in the cartridge shell. Also there is no recoilforce from the already exploded cap which helps to cushion the impactshock on the small firing pin and the hammer caused by the pin strikingthe cap.

A cartridge generally designated as H! and constructed according to myinvention will permit dry firing to be practiced without causing theobjectionable consequences to a firearm explained above. Its totalweight may be substantially the same as the weight of a correspondinglive cartridge. This cartridge includes a shell 3| the outsidedimensions of which are preferably substantially the same as those of ashell of a live cartridge of the same caliber and length. The shell 3!has a rim 32 and a forward end portion of solid metal, except for asmall round hole 34 instead of being hollow as in a live cartridge.

The solid portion 33 helps to give the dry firing cartridge the sameweight as that of a live cartridge of the same size having a usual leadbullet. The extra thickness of the solid portion providesanother-advantage in that a satisfactorily long bearing or guiding meansis provided for the body of a rod or plunger 35 slidably mounted with asnug fit in the hole 34 which is concentric with the axis of the shell3|. This plunger is preferably made of soft metal such as copper, brassor aluminum, and its outer end terminates a very short distance back orinwardly from the face of the rim portion 32 of the shell, approximatelypositioned as is the face in a primer of a live cartridge of the samediameter or the end may be flush with the face of the shell and slightlyrounded. On the rear end of the rod is provided an integral flange-likepiston member 35 which has a loose Working fit in the hollow space ofthe shell 3|. To provide a yielding resistance of an amount to appearhereinafter a coil spring 31 is positioned in the shell 3| and atight-fitting plug 38 is pressed into the open end of the shell 3| andfastened securely in place by friction or threading, or other suitablewell known devices. The size of the wire in the spring 31, its diameterand length are designed to provide a pressure on the piston member 36which considerably exceeds the pressure on the end of the plunger 35caused by the firing pin 2!! striking the latter under action of thehammer l6 and main spring I5. I have found after much research andtesting that the spring 31 should be approximately ten pounds strongerthan the main spring IE to have the plunger 35 satisfactorily absorb orcushion the blow of the firing pin which should not push the plungerinto the shell 2| materially more than.

the usual travel of the firing pin. The main springs of various kinds ofcommonly used firearms vary in strength (rating in pounds) from 3 to 25pounds. Therefore the spring 31 used in one of my dry firing cartridgesshould be designed for use with a firearm after determining accuratelythe strength of its main spring.

My dry firing cartridges can be inserted in the cylinder of a revolverone at a time by hand as is done with live cartridges. I

For loading my dry firing cartridges conveniently into anautomatic'p-istol and into some automatic rifles it is necessaryto firstload them into a usual clip (not shown) which is an essential element ofthose kinds of firearms. For any cartridge to be handled by such clipssatisfactorily it must have substantially the same complete formoutwardly as that of a live cartridge.

' To meet this condition, I provide a dry firing cartridge 40illustrated in Figure 3. In this form of my invention, the parts 4|, 45,45 and 41 of the Figure 3 structure have the same functions as the parts3|, 35, 36 and 31, respectively, of the Figure 2 structure, and afurther explanation of these parts of the Figure 3 structure is deemedunnecessary for an understanding of my invention. So that the cartridge40 may be handled by a usual spring clip (not shown) or used in afirearm such as is shown in Figure 6, a simulated :bullet 40b has areduced neck portion 48 which will fit tightly in the open en'd of theshell part 4| and. may be fastened securely in such position by means asdescribed above for the plug 38. It will be understood by those familiarwith the use of automatic pistols that the cartridge illustrated inFigure 3 is these-called rimless kind, and they will understand thereason for the different construction of the shell 4| at Ithe endadjacent the plunger 45 from the rim 3 In Figure 4 is illustrated how myinvention may be'embodied in a so-called rimless rifle cartridge 5|),which includes parts 5|, 53, 55, 56, 51 and 58 that correspond to andfunction like the parts 3|, 33 35, 36, 31, and 38, respectively, of theFigure 2 cartridge.

It will be readily understood by those familiar with modern rifleconstruction that the shell 5| may be of the same size and shapeoutwardly as that of several shells of several different live cartridgeseach of which has a bullet of different caliber and weight but all havethe same size of shell. Such different live cartridges will have to befired in different rifles each ofwhich has a bore beyond the usual shellreceiving chamber to fit the diameter of the bullet to be fired from it.One size of the shell 5| will fit in any of several shell receivingchambers. is preferably made at least ten pounds stronger than thestrongest main spring of the rifle the cartridge 50 is to be used in.

In Figure 5 is illustrateda dry firing Cartridge 60 embodying myinvention and constructed to be loaded into a clip (not shown)preparatory to being brought to a firing relation with the firing pin ofa rifle (not shown). The cartridge 60 includes parts SI, 63, 65, B6, and61 which are similar in construction and function to the parts 5|, 53,55, 56, and 51, respectively. The dry firing cartridge 6|] is shown witha simulated bullet element 6% of a certain caliber and length. It willbe understood from the foregoing description that bullet elements ofdifferent calibers from that indicated in Figure 5 can be assembled withshell members 5|].

In Figure 6 there is illustrated another form of firing pin which isoften used in automatic pistols and rifies and which is well suited foruse The spring 51 with my dry firing cartridge. A firing pin Ill ispropelled through a hole H in a plate member 12 to strike a plunger 13of a dry firing cartridge 14 which may be constructed substantially asis illustrated in Figure 3. A shoulder 15 on the pin in is provided andif the pin should be driven too far through the hole II, when thecartridge 14 or a live cartridge is not in firing relation to the pin,the shoulder would strike the plate 12 which is objectionable in thatthe shock caused by the hammer or shoulder hitting the recoil shouldercauses the firing pin to break.

Although I have herein shown and described my invention in what I haveconceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isrecognized that departures may be madetherefrom within the scope of myinvention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed hereinbut is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace anyand all equivalent devices.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a firearm having a cylinder or chamber and afiring pin; of a cartridge-like device fitting in said cylinder orchamber and having a resiliently mounted member for receiving andcushioning blows of said pin, the weight of said cartridge-like devicebeing approximately equal to that of a live cartridge of the samecaliber.

2. The combination with a firearm having a cylinder or chamber, a mainspring, a firing pin, and a recoil plate device constructed with anaperture through which said pin may be moved; of a cartridge-like devicein said chamber, said cartridge device including a metallic shellelement, a plunger member positioned in said shell to be struck by saidfiring pin and a spring in said shell pressing against said plunger tocause it to resist being moved by action of said firing pin.

3. The structure described in claim 2 characterized by said spring insaid shell being stronger than said mainspring.

4. The combination of a firearm and a dry firing cartridge in saidfirearm, said cartridge having approximately the same size and weight asa live cartridge suitable for use in said firearm.

5. A dry firing cartridge for use in an automatic firearm having achamber, a firing pin and a cartridge clip from which live cartridgesmay be fed into said chamber, said dry firing cartridge having the samesize and shape and weight approximately as one of said live cartridgesand including a spring pressed, yieldingly mounted member for cushioningthe blow of said firing pin on said dry firing cartridge.

6. A non-explosive cartridge for a fire-arm having a chamber, a mainspring, a firing pin and a recoil plate provided with a, firing pinaperture, said cartridge comprising a metallic shell element providedwith a bore,. a plunger in said bore adapted to be engaged by saidfiring pin, an abutment in said bore for a shouldered portion of saidplunger, a spring in said bore to bias said plunger toward said firingpin, and a plug and nose element for said bore and cartridge adapted toseat said spring, said cartridge having substantially the same size,shape and weight as a live cartridge and said spring adapted to absorbthe impact of said firing pin without damage thereto during dry firingof the fire arm.

7. For use in a firearm having a main spring, a firing pin and means fortransmitting the operative force of said spring to said pin; a dryfiring cartridge of approximately the same weight as a live cartridge ofthe same calibre, said dry firing cartridge including a shell, ayielding member softer than said pin mounted in said shell for receivingblows of said pin while dry firing is practiced with said firearm andsaid dry firing cartridge, and a spring in said shell pressing againstsaid yielding member with a force materially greater than the force ofaid main spring and in an opposite direction to that of the movement ofsaid firing pin.

8. The structure described in claim 7 characterized by said spring insaid shell being approximately ten pounds stronger than said mainspring.

JOE F. JACK.

